What We Want Now: Resolutions Schmesolutions

Rita Sirignano, Swerve12.20.2012

Sip more water: Nothing helps more towards making the daily hydration quota than a beautiful vessel. BKR glass water bottles are BPH-free and come with a recyclable silicone sleeve. In addition, a portion of the profits are invested in clean-water initiatives by non-profits like Engineers Without Borders. $30 each at Moksha Yoga Calgary, 9152 Macleod Tr. S.E., 403-457-4660, and 18 333 Aspen Glen Landing S.W., 403-457-0916, mokshayogacalgary.com.Handout
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stre-e-tch: Want to start doing yoga but don’t know which style to take up? From hot to Iyengar to Astanga, A Passport to Prana card allows you to sample 10 different yoga studios in Calgary for just $30. Given that the cost of a drop-in class at most studios is around $15, that’s a deal even if you try only three. For a list of participating studios or to buy a pass, go to passporttoprana.com.Handout
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Stop drinking sugary soda and bottled water: By now you know that soda is one of the leading causes of obesity— and that plastic water bottles create a huge waste stream. Kick both bad habits with The Soda Stream Jet Soda Maker which turns tap water into sparkling soda and seltzer. $89.99 at London Drugs, Brentwood Mall and eight other Calgary locations, londondrugs.com.Handout
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Wear sunscreen daily: It’s an easy habit to master—just put it on after you brush your teeth in the morning. This goes for the guys, too. One to try:Kiehl’s newly launched Facial Fuel UV Guard. Fast-absorbing, it’s got an SPF of 50 and high-level broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection to guard the face against daily damage and premature aging. Plus it’s water- and sweat-resistant, and oil- and fragrance-free. $36 at Kiehl’s, Chinook Centre, 403-252-4456, and Holt Renfrew, 403-269-7341, kiehls.ca.Handout
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Take care of your skin: The Skoah facial I received a few weeks back was so awesome, I’ve vowed to pamper my parched skin like a French woman and have one every month. From the soft music and welcoming staff to the low lighting and heated treatment table, I was mush by the end of the treatment­­­—and my very sensitive skin as clear and as soft as a baby’s. For an annual fee of $550 (or $55 monthly if paid in installments), their Skin Gym membership gives you a facial a month for a year, plus 10 per cent off products. (They have treatments for the guys, too.) Skoah, Chinook Centre, 403-203-0200, and 116 10th St. N.W., 403-264-0203, skoah.com.Handout
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Take up snowshoeing: If the fact that you don’t know how to ski is keeping you indoors all winter, consider snowshoeing. The Outdoor Centre at The University of Calgary has a discover snowshoeing series ($175) that includes an introductory lecture, three-day trips with an experienced guide and snowshoe rental. Go to calgaryoutdoorcentre.ca to register. Once you’ve mastered the basics, these Atlas 1130 Snowshoes are all you need for hiking in the backcountry—and they’re a lot cheaper than ski equipment and lift tickets. $240 at Mountain Equipment Co-op, 830 10th Ave. S.W., 403-269-2420, mec.ca.Handout
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Learn a language: Though the hardworking farmboy supposedly learned to converse with the Italian supermodel via Rosetta Stone, I’ve yet to meet anyone who actually mastered a language that way. But it’s a start. (Rosetta Stone Learn Spanish Level 1 – 5, $499, chaptersindigo.com.) But for one-on-one instruction from a real, live person and not a software program, consider enrolling in private language training at Mount Royal University. From Arabic to Russian, classes are $61.25 an hour. (A minimum package of 12 hours must be purchased.) Call Leigh-Ann Duke at 403-440-5102 or e-mail lduke@mtroyal.ca.Handout
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Cook with coconut oil: For years, coconut oil got a bad rap. But unrefined coconut oil is, among other things, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal and cholesterol- and trans-fat free. Yes, it’s a saturated fat, but the sort rich in medium-chain fatty acids that give the body energy. And, unlike olive oil, you can heat it to high temperatures and it doesn’t break down and become toxic. Besides cooking, you can use coconut oil as a moisturizer, make-up remover and hair conditioner; there are even claims that it boosts your metabolism. All this for just $9.99! At Community Natural Foods, 1304 10th Ave. S.W., 403-984-9893, and 202 61st Ave S.W., 403-229-2383, communitynaturalfoods.com.Handout
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Have you, or anyone you know, ever made a New Year’s resolution that’s been a real life-changer? Or, for that matter, lasted longer than two weeks?

Yeah, me neither.

But, like the broken-hearted who try to love again, hope springs eternal, and come New Year’s Eve, most of us will at least think about making one or two vows for self-improvement. Over the years, mine have ranged from the predictable (stop smoking, lose 10 pounds) to the righteous (stop cursing) to the nearly impossible (buy no new clothes for a year). The anxiety created only made me do more of the very things I was trying to curb.

My friend Dallas believes it’s pointless to make what she calls “grind” resolutions, as they rarely stick. Instead, she makes fun ones. One year, realizing she and her husband had virtually stopped watching movies —something they’d loved to do before they got married—she resolved they would watch one a week. She kept a list, which she still has, starring the flicks from one to five (Transamerica and Capote are among the great movies at the top of her list), and even made up rules. For example, if it was on TV or it was a rental, they had to watch the entire thing from start to finish, with no concurrent multitasking like ironing, folding laundry or sorting mail allowed.

Last year, recognizing that she was in a dining rut, she vowed to eat at 12 restaurants she’d never been to. For 2013, her resolution is to host four brunches or dinners at her home. A great approach, if you ask me, and I’m hoping for an invite.

This year, instead of making resolutions that feel punitive and censorious, be kind to yourself, and make ones that you’ll want to go out of your way to keep. Being kind to yourself is actually one of the best resolutions you can make. Then, have a Happy New Year.

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